I've always found it weird that BIG name bands can sell tonnes of records, sell out arena's..have adoring fans, yet a member of said band can release a killer record with their "side project" and people/fans don't even know about it...they play small clubs gigs (where we always love to see great musicians..up close and personal) and there's 50 people in the room! YEAH...I know its promotion etc etc, but the following is a good example. My example..DEF LEPPARD's Phil Collen and his band MANRAZE with Paul Cook from the SEX PISTOLS and Simon Laffy from GIRL. Released two great records, very diverse in places, have played some amazing small gig's...yet so few people have heard them/checked them out. Be interested to see if there are any others that I may have missed, as some of these bands are better than the mothership!!http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925602#msg-925602Wed, 22 May 2013 09:42:12 +1000 Phorum 5.2.16 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925809#msg-925809 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925809#msg-925809
I guess "big name" is subjective, but I'd also say:

Slave To The System with Damon Johnson from Brother Cane, Scott Rockenfield and Kelly Gray from Queensryche.

Tinted Windows kinda flew under the radar too. That's the power-pop band with Taylor Hanson, Bun E Carlos, James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins and Adam Shlesinger from Fountains of Wayne.]]> Walk In The Shadows NoticeboardTue, 08 Jan 2013 02:29:30 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925753#msg-925753 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925753#msg-925753 Scott NoticeboardMon, 07 Jan 2013 05:53:44 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925752#msg-925752 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925752#msg-925752 Scott NoticeboardMon, 07 Jan 2013 05:52:40 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925738#msg-925738 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925738#msg-925738feat.
Jonathon "Spike“ Gray (The Quireboys)
Pete Way (UFO)
Chris Slade (AC/DC, Asia, Manfred Mann's...)
+ Robin George]]> Shade NoticeboardMon, 07 Jan 2013 01:42:30 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925726#msg-925726 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925726#msg-925726 JIMMY AGATES NoticeboardSun, 06 Jan 2013 22:43:38 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925691#msg-925691 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925691#msg-925691 Disgruntled Aspie Giraffe NoticeboardSun, 06 Jan 2013 10:03:15 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925688#msg-925688 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925688#msg-925688
Duff from GNR played a gigs in the UK last month (I think) with his new side band and some shows had barely 50 people in the room! Amazing. You would think a name of that stature could at least sell out a club.]]> Scott NoticeboardSun, 06 Jan 2013 09:29:16 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925683#msg-925683 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925683#msg-925683 Shade NoticeboardSun, 06 Jan 2013 08:58:20 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925630#msg-925630 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925630#msg-925630 Disgruntled Aspie Giraffe NoticeboardSun, 06 Jan 2013 01:44:40 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925613#msg-925613 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925613#msg-925613 Ydde NoticeboardSun, 06 Jan 2013 00:05:34 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925603#msg-925603 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925603#msg-925603Half a year later and I am supposed to meet James at a SCORPIONS Arena show and there's big backstage hectic and security people around and so on....

Another would be SAMANTHA 7 ( CC DeVille's old band ) featuring Francis Ruiz who is now drumming for Kottak and Ty Longley (Rest in Peace)
who were opening for Great White club shows here in 2003 (?)

And I saw John Waite feat. Kyle Cook (Matchbox Twenty) play infront of maybe 70 people in 2011 a couple of weeks after the later played in Australia for I don't know how many tens of thousands of people...(Andrew would knew this..)

Or Marco Mendoza with his trio Strait Jacket (world class musicians Joey Heredia and Renato Neto) playing some nice blues/jazz inflenced set infront of 40 "pop music students" of which nobody knew who those people were...]]> Shade NoticeboardSat, 05 Jan 2013 22:23:54 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925602#msg-925602 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,925602,925602#msg-925602
My example..DEF LEPPARD's Phil Collen and his band MANRAZE with Paul Cook from the SEX PISTOLS and Simon Laffy from GIRL. Released two great records, very diverse in places, have played some amazing small gig's...yet so few people have heard them/checked them out.

Be interested to see if there are any others that I may have missed, as some of these bands are better than the mothership!!]]> Scott NoticeboardSat, 05 Jan 2013 21:55:02 +1100